Gear at the range

[txinvestigator]

Another thread got me to thinking.....

When you go to the range, besides eyes and ears, ammo, etc., what do you take in the range bag?

At indoor ranges I just take a small bag with ammmo, extra mags, etc.

I always have a first aid kit.

At the outdoor range I always carry insect repellant and sunscreen, and a little box of handi wipes.

If I am going to a class I take a small ice chest with food bars, water, and ice. In the warm months I also take a towel and a hydrastorm water system. I wear the Sig Tac pants with the knee pads and cargo pockets (for carrying extra rounds to keep the mags loaded on the line).

In the cold months I keep those little hand warmers in the bad too.

I usually carry an extra stapler and tape.

[Crossfire]

I used to just assume that every range would have a well stocked first aid kit. That makes sense, right? But, after a little incident a couple of weeks ago, I found out I was very wrong.
Now, I carry (at a minimum) antiseptic wipes, band aids, and pain relieving antibiotic ointment like Neo-Sporin.

I also take a cool neck wrap. I don't know what you really call them. The brand name on mine is Cool Snake. It's flat until you put it in water, then it swells up and stays cool. It's great.

Txi, how can you even THINK about the colder months right now? What I wouldn't give for a nice blue norther...

[txinvestigator]

Txi, how can you even THINK about the colder months right now? What I wouldn't give for a nice blue norther...

My outdoor thermometer that is in the shade indicates 109 right now.

[Houston1944]

The public range where I shoot is only ten minutes from my house and they keep water coolers at the firing line, so I don’t have to overload my bag with food and drinks. My bag contains an extra set of ear plugs, a small screw driver, a knock off swiss army knife with numerous gadgets, a batting glove, a bottle of CLP, a few Q-tips, eyeglass cleaner and a clean rag for the glasses.
Not in the bag but behind the back seat of my pickup is a set of earmuffs. I normally use Pro Ears electronic muffs, but this seems to be the one thing I sometimes forget to put back in my bag before I leave the house.

[flintknapper]

What I wouldn't give for a nice blue norther...

I'd settle for a not so nice Blue Norther.

[txinvestigator]

Txi, how can you even THINK about the colder months right now? What I wouldn't give for a nice blue norther...

My outdoor thermometer that is in the shade indicates 109 right now.

WOW. We just got a big thunderstorm and the temp has dropped to 78!!

I can actually hear my lawn sighing.

[John]

I usually carry an extra stapler and tape.

I have to remember that one. I have a staple gun, but never think to bring it. Many times, there seems to be a shortage of staple guns at the range.

I typically pack the range bag with ammo, gun rugs with guns of course, mili-tec oil (use this to coat the barrel near the end while it's still hot), a rag, a few tools, and eye and ear protection. I keep a first aid kit in the car, so that's always available. Sometimes water, but they have that at the range.

[Piney]

Greetings--

In additional to the usual shooting related items, I bring

a can of RAID for wasp nests.
extra staples for my staple gun
pair of heavy pliers/wire cutters to fix the target hangers
IDPA Member number as I can never remember the $%^& thing
spare batteries for my muffs
pkg of those foam ear plug thingies -- for visitors
snacks and water

[Venus Pax]

I normally don't bring anything but the necessities: eyes, ears, guns and ammo. I guess I should bring a first-aid kit. I should really have one everywhere I go.
I do usually have a water bottle or glass of water with me, but only because it tends to go with me everywhere.

[j1132s]

Since I normally shoot at an indoor range, I just bring the following in my "range bag" (I use a 2-gun case as my "range bag" because I needed something that locks, which limits the gear I carry):

1. a pistol
2. pre-loaded mags
3. maybe some of those orange shooting dots

Externally I carry:
4. ear plugs and muffs

In my car I have:
5. First aid kit

I sometimes take 2 pistols, but then I have to decrease the number of mags, so my round count is generally the same each trip.

[ElGato]

I have a shooter's truck, everything I might need stays in the bed [camper] all the time, I just put the gun's in and go.

[carlson1]

I carry almost everything listed above plus a small 1911 kit when shooting my 1911's. I have a little kit that has a screwdriver, punch, bushing wrench, 4 Shok-Buffers, an extra firing pin spring, and extra recoil springs. I can't wait to see some cool weather.

[longtooth]

Missed seeing targets. That is a no brainer though. Water always every where I go. The 1st aid kit is essential if you do not have one. I have used it for my party & more times for someone that needed one & did not have one. Outdoor range here so the wasp spray is there & I carry ant spray too. people eat & throw away the rappers & leftover food & it draws ants. Spray them before taking the trash to the pit. My little tool kit like carlson1 & I always take my cleaning kit. It amazes me how many times I have loaned that & "lo & behold when the guy whose gun wont feed gets a little face washing & oil" it works fine. Good review here for the new shooters. Thanks txi.

[sparx]

Other than some of what's already been mentioned, I also include a couple of the heavy binder clips such as those used on indoor target hangers, as well as a piece of corrugated cardboard. There has been an occasion where the range's clips have been "shot out" by the time I get there, or don't hold the target securly enough (even with multiple folds on the target corner) and a piece of cardboard comes in handy to give the clip a bit of extra grip.

On some trips I also include a little dustpan/brush for sweeping up brass (handy if you like to save your own brass), and I always like to include a couple extra ziploc baggies for who knows what you'll need them for.

[KBCraig]

My life is so crazy that I hardly ever get to the range. When I do, I try to make up for lost time.

I belong to a private gun club. It's a self-policed range, with no supplies or range officers except during matches. Usually when I go on a weekday morning, I have the place to myself (5 pistol bays with a variety of steel swingers and USPSA silhouettes left from the last match), plus a 200 yard rifle range with target holders.

So in other words... I have to take everything except target stands.

First, I have to pick what I'm taking:

Carry pistols (always!); that means three handguns and ammo, unless I take .22 plinkers, then it's more.

Rifles: "I didn't take that one last time"; "I took that one last time, but didn't have time to shoot it"; "I haven't even been to the range since I bought that one (or two, or three!)"; "Man, that's a lot of centerfire that I don't feel like cleaning, so maybe I'll take these two or three rimfires".

With ammo, guns, and range bags (yes, bags!), a trip to the range usually involves at least four trips to the driveway. Then 1-3 hours shooting, and four trips from the driveway to the house. Then 1-4 hours cleaning, depending on what I took. (I own a lot of milsurp, and almost always clean for corrosive unless I know absolutely, positively, otherwise.)

I really have to get on a schedule of going regularly, and focusing on one or two guns per trip.

Kevin